Machine for cutting cork disks.



No. 691,432. Patented Ian. 2|, I902.

R. S. ANDERSON.

MACHINE FDR CUTTING CORK DISKS.

(Application filed Aug. 14, 1901.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 691,432] Patented lan. 2|, I902.

R. S. ANDERSON,

MACHINE FOB CUTTING CORK DISKS.

(Applicationfiled Aug, I4; 1901.) (lo Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT S. ANDERSON, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

MACHINE F-OR CUTTING CORK DISKS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 691,432, dated January 21, 1902.

Application filed August 14, 1901. Serial No. 72,034. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT S. ANDERSON, of the city of Toronto, in the county of York, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cutting Cork Disks, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to devise a machine for cutting cork disks for use in what is known as the crown cork; and it consists, essentially, of a rotary knife swinging close below the ends of vertical tubes down which corks are fed and sliced off by the act-ion of the said knife, the whole being constructed in detail substantially as hereinafter more specifically described and then definitely claimed.

Figure 1 is an end elevation, partly in section, of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, taken from below. Fig. 3isavertical section looking toward the front of the machine. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the top of the machine. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of one of the cork disks.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the difierent figures.

A is the frame of themachine, suitably shaped to support the different parts and provided with a table B. Supported above this table near one end are one or more pairs of tubes D. The tubes of each pairare spaced sufficiently far apart to permit of the horizontal circular knife E operating between them. The spindle a of this knife is journaled in the slide 0, running on guideways h, secured to the table. This slide supports the knife so that its upper surface is substantially in line with the open lower ends of the tubes D, which are located a short distance above the table 13. (See Fig. 1.)

G is a shaft journaled on the frame of the machine and provided with the usual fast and loose pulleys. This shaft is geared to the vertical shaft H by means of the bevelgearing c. This vertical shaft is provided with a pinion cl, meshing with the gear-wheel I. This gear-wheel I carries an eccentric J, adapted by means of its eccentric-rod e to oscillate the bell-crank lever K. This bellcrank lever is provided with a fork f, which engages the pin g on the slide 0. From this construction it follows that when the shaft G is in motion the slide 0 is thrown first to one side of the machine and then to the other, causing the knife E first to occupy the position shown in Fig. l and then a similar position in regard to the tube shown to the right hand of the drawing.

The spindle act the knife E is provided with the pulley L, which is connected by a suitable belt with the pulley M on the vertical shaft H. The belt is kept in a suitable state of tension by meansof the tightenerpulley N, provided with the ordinary means of adjustment and secured to the bar F, pivoted at b to the frame of the machine, its other end being loosely pivoted on a downward extension F of the slide 0. Thus the knife is given arapid rotary motion at the same time that it is swung from side to side.

The slide 0 is extended up through a slot in the table, and its upper surface extends upward to a point a short distance below the lower ends of the tubes D, the exact distance depending upon the thickness of cork disk desired. Openings 2' are formed through this slide, and inserted therein are strippers P, which hold and steady the cork disks as they arecut by the knife and cause them to drop through the openings 2' and fall into the spouts Q, attached to the under side of the .slide 0.

(See Fig. 1.) The tubes D have openings cut in their sides near their lower ends, so that the grooved rollers R may through these openings engage the short cylinders of cork which are fed into the tubes. These grooved rollers are carried by the spindles j, which are geared together in pairs, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Journaled on the inner spindlesjare levers S, connected at their lower ends below the table by the link 70, which is provided with pins which engage the sides of the fork f of the bell-crank lever K, as shown in Fig. 2. These levers necessarily operate through slots in the table. The upper ends of these levers are provided with pawls Z, which engage ratchet-wheels T, fast on the inner spindles j. The rocking of the bell-crank lever in swinging the slide 0 thus alternately imparts rotary motion to the pairs of grooved rollers at opposite sides of the machine, so that while the knife is cutting off disks at the bottom of the tubes at one side of the machine the grooved rollers R of the tubes at the other side of the machine are feeding cork down in position for the knife to cut when it swings in the other direction. The cork is fed down against the smooth top of the slide 0, and the openingt' only comes beneath the cork disk as the knife cuts off the latter. The tubes are preferably provided with cylindrical weights U, which may be placed on top of the cork cylinders to keep them fed down to the grooved feedrollers R.

From the construction described it will be seen that as long as the feed-tubes I) are properly supplied with cork cylinders the machine will automatically slice off cork disks, such as shown in Fig. 5, and discharge them at the opposite sides of the machine. Cork is a difficult thing to out. Hence the rapid rotary motion of the knife, combined with its swinging motion, is necessary to properly cut the disks.

It will be seen that the upper surface of the knife is perfectly flat, the bevel forming the cutting edge being entirely on the under side, so that the knife pares off each disk exactly in a line with the lower edge of the tube, thus insuring absolute accuracy in the cutting of the disks. Other means might be employed to reciprocate the said knife which would fall within the scope of my invention and also other means for giving the knife its rotary motion.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a machine for cutting cork disks avertical tube adapted to receive corks and partly cut away at each side near its lower end; spindles journalcd on the frame of the machine; two grooved rollers rigidly connected to the said spindles, and adapted to engage opposite sides of the corks through the cut-away parts of the tube; two meshing gear-wheels rigidly connected to the said spindles; a ratchet-Wheel secured to one of the spindles; a lever suitably pivoted; a pawl pivoted on the said lever and adapted to engage the said ratchet-wheel; a slide movable on the frame of the machine; a horizontal circular knife journaled in the said slide substantiallyin line with the lower ends of the said tubes; means for reciprocating the said slide and rotating the knife to slice disks from the cork fed out of the lower end of the said tube; and means for oscillating the said lever in time with the moving of the said slide, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for cutting cork disks two vertical tubes set at opposite sides of the machine, each tube being adapted to receive corks and partly cut away at each side near its lower end; spindles journaled on the frame of the machine; grooved rollers rigidly connected to the said spindles and adapted to engage the opposite sides of corks through the cut-away parts of the tubes; gearing connecting the spindles of the two rollers of each tube; a ratchet-wheel connected to each of the inner spindles; suitably-journaled levers each carrying a pawl engaging one of the said ratchet-wheels; a link connecting the lower ends of the said levers; a movable slide; a horizontal circular knife journaled in the said slide substantially in line with the lower ends of the said tubes; means for rotating the knife and reciprocating the said slide to slice disks alternately from corks fed out of the lower end of each tube'; and means for oscillating the aforesaid link in time with the moving of the said slide, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for cutting cork disks a vertical tube and means for feeding corks down the said tube,in combination with a slide movable on the frame of the machine; a horizontal circular knife journaled in the said slide substantially in line with the lower end of the said tube; means for reciprocating the said slide and rotating the knife to slice disks from the cork fed out of the lowerend of the said tube; an upward extension of the said slide reaching just below the lower end of the said tube, an opening being formed through the upper extension of the slide below the knife, substantially as described.

4. In a machine for cutting cork disks a vertical tube and means for feeding corks down the said tube, in combination with a slide movable on the frame of the machine; a horizontal circular knife journaled in the said slide substantially in line with the lower end of the said tube; means for reciprocating the said slide and rotating the knife to slice disks from the cork fed out of thelower end of the said tube; an upward extension of the slide reaching just below the lower end of the said tube,an opening being formed through the upward extension of the slide below the knife; and a stripper connected to the slide located so as to engage the inner edges and sides of the disk being out to steady it and effect its discharge through the said opening, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for cutting'cork disks two vertical tubes set at opposite sides of the machine, and means for feeding corks down the said tubes, in combination with a slide movable on the frame of the machine; a horizontal circular knife journaled in the said slide between and substantially in line with the lower ends of the said tubes; means for rotating the knife and reciprocating the said slide to slice disks alternately from corks fed out of the lower end of each tube; an upward extension of the slide reaching just below the lower ends of the said tubes; openings being formed in the upward extension of the slide below the knife at opposite sides, substantially as described.

6. In a machine for cutting cork disks two vertical tubes set at opposite sides of the machine, and means for feeding corks down the said tubes, in combination with a slide movable on the frame of the machine; a horizontal circular knife journaled in the said slide between and substantially in line with the IIO lower ends of the said tubes; means for rotating the knife and reciprocating the said slide to slice disks alternately from corks fed out of the lower end of each tube; an upward extension of the slide reaching just below the lower ends of the said tubes, openings being formed in the upward extension of the slide below the knife at opposite sides; and strippers connected to the slide located so as to engage the inner edges and sides of the disks I0 being out to steady them and effect their discharge through the said openings, substantially as'described.

Toronto, July 11, 1901.

ROBERT S. ANDERSON. In presence of- JOHN G. RIDOUT, J. M. WEBSTER. 

